Remicade Treats Ulcerative Colitis

Remicade's Side Effects

Reports of adverse effects came from similar percentages of patients taking
Remicade or the placebo.

However, the Remicade groups had slightly more cases of serious infections,
lupus-like reactions, and neurologic diseases, write the researchers.

Those cases included:

1 patient taking Remicade who had a lupus-like reaction

16 taking Remicade who had serious infections (compared with six taking
placebo)

1 taking Remicade who had tuberculosis

1 taking Remicade who died after getting a type of pneumonia

Known Risks

Remicade's effects on the immune system can bring a risk of infection, the
researchers note. Most of their patients didn't have such problems.

Serious side effects of Remicade include increased risk for serious and
life-threatening infections, lupus-like syndrome, lymphoma, seizures, liver
damage, and blood problems. Most common side effects include rash, dizziness,
fatigue, and allergic reactions.

The risk for infection isn't new. Remicade's web site states, "There are
reports of serious infections, including tuberculosis (TB), sepsis, and
pneumonia. Some of these infections have been fatal."

Remicade's site also notes that the drug shouldn't be taken by people with
heart failure and that there have been rare and sometimes fatal cases of blood
disorders and serious liver injury in people taking Remicade.

The study was funded by drug companies Centocor Inc. and Schering-Plough.
Centocor markets Remicade in the U.S.; Schering-Plough markets Remicade in most
other countries.